PONTOTOC – Less than six months after its official opening, the Tanglefoot Trail is slated to host several athletic events this spring.

The 44-mile paved trail that succeeds the historic GM&O Railroad will host the Altis Endurance Marathon and Half-Marathon on March 30. The event will begin and end in Houston, at the trail’s crossing with Industrial Drive.

“This is a privately run race,” said Trail Manager Don Locke. “They charge a fee, and we charge $5 for everybody that registers, which is our policy for every event that charges its participants.”

Participants can register online at altisendurance.com. If advance registrants do not fill the roster, on-site registrations will be available on race day.

“All finishers will receive a finishers’ award,” states the Altis website. “There are no age group awards or first finisher awards.”

On April 19, the Trail will furnish part of the route for the Clint Frazier Memorial 5K and Fun Run.

Frazier was a Union County deputy sheriff killed in a line-of-duty car crash on Dec. 18, 2013, and the event will raise funds to benefit his wife and three daughters with runs through downtown New Albany.

The Frazier Memorial Run requires a $20 entry fee in advance or $30 on race day, and virtual runners will pay $15. Applications are available at Baptist Healthplex, Anytime Fitness, Trails and Treads (New Albany and Tupelo locations), or at racesonline.com.

On Saturday, May 3, the Itawamba Community College Foundation will hold its inaugural “Riding the Tanglefoot Trail” event.

“This will be a ride, not a race,” said ICC Foundation director Jim Ingram. “Our foundation president, Jim Mounce, had the idea.”

“Riding on the Tanglefoot” will be a free event, but participants are urged to raise donations per mile ridden. Registration will be available soon at racesonline.com, iccms.edu or in person.

“We think this will be good for the community, for our students and for the families that get out and ride,” Ingram said.

For more information about the Tanglefoot Trail, visit www.tanglefoottrailms.com.